a traveling library of zines and other self-published DIY materials

What

The Fly Away Zine Mobile is a free lending library, self-publishing skill-sharer, and mini reading room focused on zines (“zeens,” meaning self-made, self-published, small circulation magazines) and other forms of DIY publishing. It’s currently housed in a 1997 Chevy Astro van, and we’re currently looking for something bigger that can be converted to run on waste veggie oil.

The zine mobile travels all over North America, organizing/supporting events around literacy and self-publishing and hosting open library/reading hours. We also visit people unable to leave where they are.

There are about 1,000 zines and a small collection of little musical instruments (ukulele, melodica, flute, tambourine, hand percussion) that may be borrowed (return arrangements made on a case-by-case basis)! There’s also a free box!

The zine mobile is part of an emerging traveling caravan that seeks to support and create free skill-sharing and community-building, and is also a sister project to the Zine Apothecary, a garage-based zine library in Minneapolis; a significant part of the library’s founding collection was donated by ZA!

Donations of zines and small instruments in good condition always appreciated. We’re especially interested in zines that seek to share skills, information, and resources, and zines about healing and wellness.

* Please note that while the zine mobile/caravan project is a movement-driven, not-for-profit project, by design it is not a registered nonprofit. We gratefully accept donations, but donations are not tax-deductible.